Water supply mechanism for washing machines



Oct. 10, 1967 D. N. TOMA 3,346,003

WATER SUPPLY MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 35 lo 70 9 5 53 K" J f f L/ |Z E? II l v 37 I I5 5' L as 4e 3 Z- x 0 0 O O O O O O O O 0 u o o o o o o o 49 50 O O O O O O O 0 4L 0 o o o o o o I O O 0 44 7 O O 0 0 8 O 0 I 45 I l9 l8 7 4| 2G 27 I 23 H 2.9 4 22.

F j Ezriiif-ii g INVENTOR. DAN)EL Ix). TOMA m ATTORNEY Oct. 10, 1967 D. N. TOMA 3,346,003

WATER SUPPLY MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. DANlEL. I\J. TOMA H \s ATTORNEY United States Patent F WATER SUPPLY This invention relates to clothes washing machines, and more :particularly, to an improved water supply mechanism for such machines.

Many clothes washing machines of the type which provide an automatic cycle of operation including washing and centrifugal extraction provide a water trap as part of the water supply mechanism in order to eflectively block the water supply mechanism during the washing operation of the machine and thereby prevent suds from backing up through the water supply mechanism and possibly causing contamination of the main water supply. Prior art machines have made provision for automatically filling the water trap in a number of ways, none of which is completely satisfactory. Some use a deep trap to slow down the velocity of the water stream, others use a water inlet nozzle designed to provide a constant low velocity water stream, and others use a slow acting water shutoff valve to slow down the velocity of the water stream during the shutoff period. All of these mechanisms make the water supply portion of the washing machine too costly.

It is an object of my invention to provide an effective, economical water supply mechanism constructed from a minimum number of low-cost parts.

In carrying out my invention, in one form thereof, 1 provide a water inlet member including a first portion forming a water storage chamber, and a second portion forming an outlet conduit. The water inlet member is con nected to the water supply for the washing machine by means of a valve mechanism so that a stream of water is selectively provided to the water inlet member first to fill the water storage chamber and then to flow through the water outlet conduit. A shallow water trap is provided to transfer the stream of water flowing from the outlet conduit to the clothes container of the washing machine. A port connects the water storage chamber and outlet conduit within the Water inlet member so that, when the stream of water to the inlet member is discontinued, the water contained in the water storage chamber will flow out through the outlet conduit and fill the water trap to prevent suds in the washing machine from backing up through the water supply mechanism.

The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. My invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a clothes washing machine including my invention, the view being partly broken away and partly in section, to illustrate details;

FIGURE 2 is a partial top plan view of the washing machine shown in FIGURE 1, with a part of the cabinet removed, and

FIGURE 3 is a view along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown an agitator type clothes washing machine 1 having a conventional basket or clothes-receiving receptacle 2. The basket 2 is provided over its side and bottom walls with perforations 3 and disposed within an outer imperforate receptacle or tub 4. Tub 4 serves as a liquid receptacle, the basket and 3,346,003 Patented Oct. 10, 1967 tub together serving in effect as container means for the clothes and liquid in which they are to be washed and rinsed. Basket 2 may be provided with a suitable clothesretaining member 5 which aids in preventing clothes from being floated over the top of the basket, and with a balance ring 6 to help steady the basket when it is rotated at high speed.

Tub 4 is rigidly mounted within an appearance cabinet 7 which includes a cover 8 hingedly mounted in the removable top portion 9 of the cabinet. When cover 8 is lifted, it prov-ides access through an opening 10 to basket 2. A gasket 11 may be provided to form a seal between the tub 4 and top portion 9 of cabinet 7 to prevent the escape of moisture and moist air from the tub into the cabinet. The rigid mounting of tub 4 within cabinet 7 may be effected by any suitable means. As a particular example of one such means, I provide strap members 12, each of which is secured at one end to an inturned flange 13 of the cabinet and at its other end to the outside of tub 4.

At the center of basket 2 there is provided a vertical axis agitator 14 which includes a center post 15 and a plurality of curved water circulating vanes 16 joined at their lower ends by an outwardly flared skirt 17. Both the clothes basket 2 and the agitator 14 are rotatably mounted. The basket is mounted on a flange 18 of a rotatable hub 19, and the agitator 14 is mounted on a shaft (not shown) which extends upwardly through the hub 19 and through center post 15 and is secured to the agitator so as to drive it.

During a typical cycle of operation of machine 1, water is introduced into tub 4 and basket 2 and agitator 14 is then oscillated back and forth on its axis, that is, in a horizontal plane within the basket. This causes washing of the clothes by effecting relative motion of the clothes and the liquid, as well as suitable flexing of the fabric of the clothes. Then, after a predetermined period of this washing action, basket 2 and agitator 14 are rotated at high speed to extract centrifugally the washing liquid from the clothes and discharge it to drain. Following this extraction operation, clean water is introduced into the basket for rinsing the clothes and the agitator is again oscillated. Finally, the basket and agitator are once more rotated to extract the rinse water.

Basket 2 and agitator 14 may be driven through any suitable means. By way of example, I have shown them as driven from a reversible motor 20 through a drive mechanism including a clutch 21 mounted on the motor shaft. The clutch allows the motor to start without load, and then accept the load as it comes up to speed. A suitable belt 22 transmits power to a transmission assembly 23 through a pulley 24. Thus, depending upon the direction of motor rotation, pulley 24 of transmission 23 is driven in opposite directions.

Transmission 23 is so arranged that it supports and drives-both the agitator drive shaft and basket-mounting hub 19. When motor 20 is rotated in one direction, the transmission causes agitator 14 to oscillate in a substantially horizontal plane within basket 2. Conversely, when motor 20 is driven in the opposite direction, the transmission rotates basket 2 and agitator 14 together at high speed for centrifugal extraction. While the specific type of transmission used is not part of my invention, a suitable form of transmission is shown in detail in Patent No. 2,844,225 issued to James R. Hubbard et al., on July 22, 1958, and assigned to the General Electric Company, assi-gnee of the present invention.

In addition to operating transmission 23 are described, motor 20 also provides a direct drive through a flexible coupling 25 to a pump structure generally indicated at 26, which may include two separate pump units 27 and 28, both operated simultaneously in the same direction by motor 20. Pump 27 has an inlet which is connected by conduit 29 to an opening 30 formed at the lowermost point of Mb 4. Pump 27 also has an outlet which is connected by conduit 31 to a suitable drain (not shown).

A pump 28 has an inlet connected by a conduit 32 to the interior of tub 4 and an outlet connected by a conduit 33 to a nozzle 35 disposed at the top of the tub. Each of the pumps 27 and 28 is substantially inoperative in the direction of rotation in which it is not used.

Nozzle 35 is positioned for discharge into a filter pan 36 secured on the top portion 37 of agitator 14 so as to be movable therewith. By this structure, then, when the mot-or is rotating so as to provide agitation, pump 28 draws liquid from tub 4 through conduit 32 and discharges it through conduit 33 so that the liquid passes from nozzle 35 into filter pan 36 and then down through a number of small openings 38 provided in the bottom of the filter pan and back into basket 2. In this manner, the filter pan 36 with its small openings 38 and its upstanding side Wall 39 causes lint which is separated from the clothes during the washing operation to be filtered out of the clothes and thus prevents it from being re-deposited on the clothes. This type of structure is more fully described and claimed in Patent No. 2,481,979 issued to Russell H. Colley on September 13, 1949, and assigned to General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention.

Motor 20, clutch 21, transmission 23, basket 2 and agitator 14 form a suspended washing and centrifuging system which is supported by the stationary structure of the machine so as to permit isolation of the vibrations from the stationary structure. It will be understood that such vibrations occur primarily as a result of high speed spinning of basket 2 with a load of clothes therein, as mentioned above. Any suitable suspension structure may be used which serves to permit movement of the basket within the tube but substantially restricts the basket from verical motion. One suitable structure includes a bracket member 40 with transmission 23 mounted thereon and motor 29 mounted to the underside thereof. The bracket member, in turn, is secured to upwardly extending rigid members 41, and each of the upwardly extending members 41 is connected to a cable 42 supported at the top of the machine by a pulley structure (not shown). While only a portion of the suspension system is shown, such a vibration isolation system is fully described and claimed in Patent No. 2,987,189 issued on June 6, 1961, to John M. Evjen and assigned to General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention.

In order to accommodate the movement which occurs between basket 2 and tub 4 without any danger of leakage between them, the stationary tub 4- is joined to the upper part of transmission 23 by a flexible boot member 43. Boot 43 may be of any suitable configuration, many of which are known in the art, to permit relative motion of the parts to which it is joined without leakage therebeween.

The level to which water rises in basket 2 and tub 4 may be controlled by any suitable liquid level sensing means. One typical arrangement for doing this is to provide an opening 44 in the side of tube 4 adjacent the bottom thereof. Opening 44 is connected through a conduit 45 and a tube 46 to a conventional pressure sensitive switch (not shown) which may be positioned in a backsplasher -47 of machine 1. In the conventional manner, as the water rises in basket 2 and tube 4 it exerts increasing pressure on the column of air trapped in tube 46, and pressure sensitive switch to shut off the water inlet valve generally shown at 48.

Valve 48 is adapted to supply hot and cold water to the machine, the valve being connected to hot and cold water sources (not shown) through conduits 49 and 50. The valve 48 may have solenoids 51 and 52 so that energization of solenoid 51 permits passage of hot water through the valve, energization of solenoid 52 permits passage of cold water through the valve, and energization of both solenoids permits mixing of hot and cold Water in the valve, and the passage of warm water therefrom through the outlet conduit 53 extending from the valve.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3, there is shown a water supply mechanism for conducting the water emitted through conduit 53 to the tub 4 and basket 2. The water supply mechanism includes a water inlet member generally indicated at 54. The inlet member is formed with a top wall 55, a bottom wall 56 and spaced, elongated side walls 57 and 58. At one end the inlet member includes a curved wall 59 forming an inlet opening 60 for water passing through conduit 53. The other end of the inlet member is formed from an end wall 61.

An intermediate wall 62 is provided within the inlet member between the side walls 57 and 58 so that the side wall 57 and intermediate wall 62 form a water storage chamber 63 and side wall 58 and intermediate wall 62 form a conduit 64. The intermediate wall is spaced slightly from the end wall 61 to form a port 66 between storage chamber 63 and conduit 64. The side wall 57 and curved wall 59 form a smooth, continuous surface, but side wall 58 is offset adjacent curved wall 59 as indicated at 67. Thus, when a stream of Water is introduced into water inlet member 54 through conduit 53 and inlet opening 60, the stream of water, as a result of the Coanda effect, will flow along side wall 57 and fill water storage chamber 63. The inlet 68 to storage chamber 63 is made larger than the port 66 to insure that the storage chamber 63 remains filled with water. When storage chamber 63 has been filled, the body of water contained therein will force the stream of water entering through inlet opening 60 to switch-over and flow through conduit 64 and out through outlet structure 69.

A shallow water trap, in the form of -a generally U- shaped tube 70, is mounted in the wall of tub 4. The tube 70 includes a curved center section 71 and upwardly eX- tending end sections 72 and 73, with end section 72 being positioned to receive Water from outlet structure 69 and end section 73 being positioned to discharge water into the basket 2. Thus, when a stream of water of relatively high velocity is emitted from outlet structure 69 it will flow through tube 70 and into tub 4 and basket 2. The top of center section 71 is slightly below the bottom of end sections 72 and 73, therefore, water of relatively low velocity flowing into tube 70 from outlet structure 69 will form a body of water within center section 71 (such as that illustrated at 74) to effectively block the backward flow of water or suds through tube 70 and inlet member 54 into the water supply. Thus, the water supply system supplying water to the machine will not be contaminated by vitiated water or detergent.

Water inlet member 54 is effective to provide the two velocities of water necessary for proper functioning of the water inlet mechanism. As has been stated, when water storage chamber 63 fills with water, the water flowing through conduit 53 is caused to switch-over and flow through conduit 54 and outlet structure 69 into tube 70. Since this stream water is at substantially the household supply pressure, it is of a relatively high velocity and will flow through tube 70 into tub 4 and basket 2. This high velocity stream of water removes body of water 74 from tube 70 and flows through tube 70 at a rapid rate to fill tub 4 and basket 2 in a minimum amount of time. The velocity of this stream of water is such that, when valve 48 cuts-off the water supply, an insufficient amount of the stream of water will remain in tube 70 to reform the body of water 74. I utilize the water stored in storage chamber 63 to form this body of water. When valve 48 cuts-off the water supply, the water stored in water storage chamber 63 -will flow through port 66, conduit 64 and outlet structure 69 to the tube 70. This water, however, is not under pressure and therefore flows at a relatively slow velocity so that it is retained by the water trap and forms a body of water such as that indicated at 74 to effectively block the water supply mechanism. Thus, it will be understood that, at the conclusion of each water supply operation of the machine, the water supply mechanism is blocked to effectively prevent suds and dirty water from being drawn into the water supply system for the machine.

By the present structure I provide a water supply mechanism which provides a high velocity stream of water to quickly fill the tube and basket of a washing machine and then, without the use of expensive valve mechanisms, forms a block in the supply system to prevent vitiated fluid from entering the household supply.

While, in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto Without departing from the invention, and I therefore aim in the appended claims to cover such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a clothes washing machine including a container to receive water and clothes to be washed in the water, a water supply mechanism for providing water to the container including:

(a) a water inlet member, said inlet member including a first portion forming a water storage chamber and a second portion forming an outlet conduit,

(b) means for selectively providing a stream of water to said inlet member,

(c) means for directing said stream of water through said inlet member first to fill said storage chamber and thereafter to flow out of said inlet member through said conduit,

(d) a water trap adapted to connect said conduit and the container to transfer to the container said stream of water emitted from said conduit,

(e) means connecting said storage chamber to said conduit and effective upon the discontinuance of said stream of Water to cause the water stored in said storage chamber to flow out of said inlet member through said conduit and thereby fill said trap.

2. In a clothes washing machine including a container to receive water and clothes to be washed in the Water, a water supply mechanism for providing water to the container including:

(a) water inlet member including a pair of elongated spaced side walls and an intermediate wall between said side walls the first of said side walls and said intermediate wall forming a water storage chamber and the second of said side walls and said intermediate wall forming an outlet conduit,

(b) said water inlet member including an inlet opening spaced from said storage chamber and said conduit,

(c) means for selectively providing a stream of water to said inlet opening,

((1) means for directing said stream of water through the inlet member first to fill said storage chamber and theerafter to flow out of said inlet member through said conduit,

(e) a water trap adapted to connect said conduit with the container to transfer said stream of water emitted from said conduit to the container,

(f) means connecting said storage chamber to said conduit and effective upon the discontinuance of said stream of water to cause the water stored in said storage chamber to flow out of said inlet member through said conduit and thereby fill said trap.

3. A water supply mechanism as described in claim 2 wherein said inlet member includes a curved wall defining said inlet opening, said curved wall and said first side wall forming a smooth, continuous surface and said second side wall being offset adjacent said curved wall, whereby said stream of water will flow from said inlet opening along said first side wall first t-o fill said storage chamber and thereafter to flow through said conduit.

4. A water supply mechanism as described in claim 2 wherein a port is provided between said storage chamber and said conduit, said port being effective upon discontinuance of the stream of water to cause the water stored in the storage chamber to flow out of said inlet member through said conduit and thereby fill said trap.

5. A water supply mechanism as described in claim 2 wherein said first and second side walls are joined at their ends remote from said inlet opening by an end wall, said intermediate wall and said end wall forming a port between said storage chamber and said conduit, said port being eifective upon discontinuance of the stream of water to cause the water stored in the storage chamber to flow out of said inlet member through said conduit and thereby fill said trap.

6. A water supply mechanism as described in claim 5 wherein said first of said side walls and said intermediate wall form an inlet to said storage chamber larger than said port so that said stream of water is effective to keep said storage chamber filled with water.

7. In a clothes washing machine including a container to receive water and clothes to be washed in the water, a water supply mechanism for providing water to the container including:

(a) water inlet member including a pair of elongated, spaced side walls and an intermediate wall between said side walls, the first of said side walls and said intermediate wall forming a Water storage chamber and the second of said side walls and said intermediate wall forming an outlet conduit,

(b) said inlet member including a curved wall forming an inlet opening,

(c) means for selectively providing a stream of water to said inlet opening,

(d) said curved wall and said first side wall forming a smooth, continuous surface and said second side wall being offset adjacent said curved Wall so that said stream of water will flow from said inlet opening along said first side wall first to fill said storage chamber and thereafter to flow out of said inlet member through said conduit,

(c) said first and second end walls being joined at their ends remote from said inlet opening by an end wall, said intermediate wall and said end wall forming a port between said storage chamber and said conduit, said port being effective upon discontinuance of the stream of water to cause the water stored in the storage chamber to flow out of said inlet member through said conduit, and

(f) a water trap adapted to connect said conduit with the container to transfer said stream of water emitted from said conduit to the container and to retain said water flowing from said storage chamber upon discontinuance of said stream of water to form a block in said water supply mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 414,818 11/1889 Nicholson 14725 3,176,484 4/ 1965 Shelton 137-216.1 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 477,634 1/ 1938 Great Britain.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

D. LAMBERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE INCLUDING A CONTAINER TO RECEIVE WATER AND CLOTHES TO BE WASHED IN THE WATER, A WATER SUPPLY MECHANISM FOR PROVIDING WATER TO THE CONTAINER INCLUDING: (A) A WATER INLET MEMBER, SAID INLET MEMBER INCLUDING A FIRST PORTION FORMING A WATER STORAGE CHAMBER AND A SECOND PORTION FORMING AN OUTLET CONDUIT, (B) MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY PROVIDING A STREAM OF WATER TO SAID INLET MEMBER, (C) MEANS FOR DIRECTING SAID STREAM OF WATER THROUGH SAID INLET MEMBER FIRST TO FILL SAID STORAGE CHAMBER AND THEREAFTER TO FLOW OUT OF SAID INLET MEMBER THROUGH SAID CONDUIT, (D) A WATER TRAP ADAPTED TO CONNECT SAID CONDUIT AND THE CONTAINER TO TRANSFER TO THE CONTAINER SAID STREAM OF WATER EMITTED FROM SAID CONDUIT, (E) MEANS CONNECTING SAID STORAGE CHAMBER TO SAID CONDUIT AND EFFECTING UPON THE DISCONTINUANCE OF SAID STREAM OF WATER TO CAUSE THE WATER STORED IN SAID STORAGE CHAMBER TO FLOW OUT OF SAID INLET MEMBER THROUGH SAID CONDUIT AND THEREBY FILL SAID TRAP. 